Our Town 125 and 100 Years Ago...August, Part I

125 YEARS AGO: AUGUST PART I: While the weather is in the news a lot right now in early August, it did not make headlines back in 1897. Here in Montana, there were headlines about mine injuries, suicides, and the price of silver dropping to 55.5 cents per ounce while lead was bringing $3.60 and a woman killed by lightning in Granite County. The following news items are taken as written from the August 6 and 14, 1897 editions of the Jefferson Valley Zephyr.

Waifs From Waterloo: Arthur Hunt and Miss Bertie Switzer were married in Butte last week. A few friends gathered at their home on their return and gave them a rather noisy reception. Mrs. Foster, Mrs. Parker, Miss Lucy Foster and James Foster took a trip to the Mayflower last Sunday. A good time was reported, though some people could not play croquet.

The Home News: Bassett Leyson of the Mayflower has gone to Idaho on a mine inspection tour. Edwin B. Hunt of Waterloo died at the Southern Hotel in Butte on Saturday. Mr. Hunt went to Butte for treatment for diabetes. He was only thirty years of age at the time of his death. Funeral services were held at Waterloo on Sunday by the Rev. F.A. Parish. The interment was at the Fish Creek cemetery. The funeral was largely attended.

An accident happened in the Mayflower district on Wednesday which resulted in a broken leg to one man. Messrs. Smith & Williams, who have a lease on a prospect in that neighborhood, were at work when a rope broke and the bucket of ore fell on Mr. Smith. The children of Mrs. Jane Miller have been admitted to the Orphans' Home at Twin Bridges and are to be taken there today. The institution finds its useful sphere in just such cases, and the little ones will not only have a good home but will be educated and fitted for the battle in which they must start without material parental aid. Charles W. Brooke was elected representative to the Grand Lodge A.O.U.W. at Bozeman by the lodge of this city but he is unable to attend. W.M. Fergus, who is a Grand Lodge Officer, will act in his stead.

Loaded for Bear: Sheriff Reese and Deputy Sheriff Lyne of Salmon City, Idaho, have been searching Jefferson County during the past week for one Charles Kelly who is wanted for stealing a 14-year-old girl, three horses, two rifles, 100 pounds of flour, 20 pounds of bacon and $12 from a rancher named Young. He is also wanted on the charge of committing an unmentionable crime upon an 11-old girl, who is a sister to the one he took away with him. Kelly is 27 years old and stands six feet two inches in height. He wears a light mustache and has a receding forehead with long, heavy hair hanging over the back of his neck.

100 YEARS AGO: AUGUST, PART I: By August 1923, there were plenty of headlines that had people buzzing about what was going on in our country. President Warren G. Harding died suddenly in San Francisco while on his nationwide tour. Vice-president Calvin Coolidge was sworn in the next day at his family home as the new president of the United States. Confederate spy and agent, Laura Ratcliffe, passed away at the age of 87. American Henry Sullivan became the first person from the U.S. to swim the English Channel. The first fossil of a velociraptor was discovered at the Flaming Cliffs in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia. Here in the Jefferson Valley, people were focusing on local issues. The photo shows a local group on a summer campout and picnic. The articles are based on notes made by Roy Millegan, Sr. from August 2 and 9, 1923 editions of the Jefferson Valley News.

The dastardly young hoodlums who killed Al Johnson have been found guilty with the jury recommending death by hanging for Walsh, 22. His alleged accomplice, Hughes, is only 17 years old. Thanks to the birddog determination of Sheriff John W. Mountjoy, they were brought to justice. Walsh and Hughes are being kept under constant guard since it is known that Walsh can be a slippery character when in jail.

Jefferson County has posted the assessment list for this year. There are 689 acres of irrigated land in the county with 61,130 non-irrigated agricultural acres. Patented mining claims make up 28,783 acres and the railroad has 19,045 acres. Animals listed include 3,941 mules and horses; 14,448 head of cattle and 1,953 head of sheep.

The Jefferson Land and Irrigation Company is planning to borrow the rather large sum of $100,000 from the Woods Brothers in Lincoln, Nebraska with a mortgage against their holdings. The repayment will be made over a 10-year period at a rate of 7%.

Do not miss the extravagant two-day fur exhibit at the Whitehall Trading Company this week. There will be $25,000 worth of merchandise to peruse that includes mink, Hudson seal, Scotch Mole, Russian Fitch, Kolinsky, Japanese mink, natural muskrat, Siberian squirrel, Viatka squirrel, Bay seal, Marmink, and more.

Our local tourist business is booming. Since July 2nd we have had 274 tourists register at the new campground. A list of the names and places of our visitors is available at the JV news office.

In honor of our late President Harding, there will be a special service held at Yellowstone Hall by our American Legion Post #24. All businesses in town will be closed. The program will include our local band, a moving eulogy, and prayer with a presentation of the Post and colors. A 21-gun salute followed by taps will conclude the ceremony.

For Sale: 30,000 bricks. Contact James Jergensen. Carlson-Strausbury telephone and two miles of wire and posts. Contact A.G. Manning.

We were saddened to hear of the death of young Alex Patacini, only 4 years old. The child apparently ate some bug killer known as Paris Green. There are two other deaths to report, both old-timers in the area. Jacob A. Woll passed at the age of 63. He was born in Norway and came to America at the age of 17. He came to Whitehall from Washington state in 1908 and had a large ranch about two miles north of here. In 1917 he was operating the Crystal Creamery in Butte and in 1918 became the manager of the Whitehall Produce Company and serviced as a town alderman. He married Anna Ellefson in 1885 and they had five sons and two daughters. Four of the five sons were serving our country at the same time. His daughter, Mrs. Nelson Bruce, lives here in town.

Mr. William Porter passed away at the age of 63. He moved west from his home in Illinois about 40 years ago and settled in Butte. Thirty-one years ago he married Maude Slater and they moved to a ranch in the Whitehall and Cardwell area. All of their children were born here in the valley. The couple moved into town about 10 years ago. He ran a harness shop and shoe repair business here in town and sold it to Yotter and Son in 1918. Mr. Porter lost his wife just last month. Mr. Porter will be interred at the Fish Creek Cemetery.